RAYNHAM — If you've been hoping for more Latin American food options in the area, your prayers have been answered.

Tropical Llama, a Bolivian-Dominican restaurant, is having its grand opening at 1470 New State Hwy. in Raynham from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8.

During the grand opening, owners and husband and wife Sandra Roque and Johan Martinez will be serving up samples of their popular empanadas, holding a raffle and hosting other fun activities.

Last spring, Roque and her husband were hoping to open Tropical Llama as a food truck, but the trucks they found were $50,000 to $80,000, and their fundraising efforts didn't go well.

One day, Roque was driving through Raynham when she noticed a restaurant location in the Raynham Marketplace up for sale. It was a former Dunkin' that had a drive-thru — something she'd always wanted.

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So she contacted the owner and found it was still available. By July 2021, they had signed the lease, and the couple started preparing the restaurant for opening.

They had to purchase an industrial hood for the stovetops and repaint the inside shades of yellow and green to give it a tropical feel, but by November, they were ready for a soft open.

Now, Roque and Martinez are serving up authentic, traditional Bolivian and Dominican cuisine. They have a large menu that features everything from pork shoulder to fried chicken to rice and beans.

So far, Roque said, she's tired, but excited to be open, as the Raynham community has been very welcoming.

For more information about Tropical Llama, visit https://tropicalllama.com/.

Enterprise staff writer Susannah Sudborough can be reached by email at ssudborough@enterprisenews.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @k_sudborough. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Raynham Tropical Llama: Bolivian-Dominican restaurant opens in Raynham